Apparatus for carbureting gas



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

v W. F. H. OKEEFE.

APPARATUS POR- GARBUBBTING GAS.

Patented AugjlO, 1886.

www,

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT Erice.,

VARNER F. H. OKEEFE, AIILEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FCR CARBURETING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No,346,940, dated August10l 1886a Application filed November 1d, 1885. Serial No. 182,338. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, VARNER F. H. OKEEFE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Carbureting Gas; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specication.

This invention relates to an apparatus wherein natural gas, or. naturalgas mixed with any other gas or gases, is enriched or carbureted byheating the gas and projecting the same into a vessel containingnaphthaline or other hydrocarbon, whereby the hydrocarbon is vaporizedand the vapor thereof is mixed with the natural gas and the mixture isconducted to the burners. This improved apparatus is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a central vertical sectionof the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a similar section illustrating amodification.

From the gas-supply pipe A is suspended by a ball-and-socket joint, B,the carbureting apparatus and the burners. The gas is first conductedinto a gas-inlet.heating-chamber, C. Immediately below this chamber is adistributing-chamber, D, communicating therewith by ports a a, fromwhich distributingchamber the burner branch pipes b b extend. Theburners c c are arranged surrounding the chambers C and D, and the heattherefrom heats the chamber C and the gas therein contained. The chamberC preferably communicates directly with the distributing-chamber, inorder that the gas may be supplied directly to the burners on firstlighting the same, and in order that the proportions of the natural gasand hydrocarbon vapor may be properly regulated. Vithin theheating-chamber C,

and entirely inclosed thereby, is an inner heating-chamber, E, which atits lower 'portion communicates with the outer heating-chamber by portsd d. Extending upward within chamber Eis a gas-discharge pipe, A',opening near drocarbon reservoir. downward in a vertical direction,whereby the the top of the chamber, which conducts the gas to thehydrocarbonreservoir. This circuitous course of the gas is provided inorder to retain the gas in position to receive heat as long as possible.

Suspended from the bottom of the distributing-chamber D, preferably by acylindrical inclosing-casing, N, is the hydrocarbon-reservoir F. Thisreservoir is of a sufficient size to contain a sufcient quantity ofhydrocarbon, which is introduced therein through apertures e e. Theheated gas from the pipe A in the heating chamber passes through pipeA2, extending through chamber D, pipe A, and outlet-pipe A4 openingdirectly into the hy- The pipe A projects gas coming through thepipeimpinges directly on the surface of the hydrocarbon, the heatthereof vaporizing the hydrocarbon. The mingled gas and vapor areconducted from the reservoir F tothe distributing-chamber D by pipe A5,which has a number of distributy ing-ports, j' f. The mingled gas andvapor here intermingle with the natural gas already admitted to thechamber through ports a a, andthe resulting product is supplied to theburners.

`A stop-cocky, in the pipe A controls the admission of the gas into theapparatus, and

stop-cocks h h in each burner branch enable one of more of the burnerstoremain unlighted. A valve, G, located between thehcating-ehamber and thehydrocarbon-reservoir, preferably in pipe A, regulates the admission ofheated gas into the hydrocarbon-reservoir, and thus regulates theproportion of gas and vapor in the distributing-chamber. Beneath theburners and in the same horizontal plane with the bottom of thedistributing-chamber is arranged a bottom plate, H, which supports atransparent globe, I, which incloses the burners. The plate H isprovided with inlet-ports t' t, to admit air to the burners. Above theheatingchamber and the burners is a defiecting-plate, J, havingdownwardly-curved edges, which deiiects the heat from the burnersdownward upon the heatingchamber, thus utilizing more effectively theheat from t-he burners. The plate J is provided with apertures j j,which carryoff the ICO 4 products of combustion.

These apertures are preferably formed in the platefimmediately above theheating-chamber. In order to still further confine the heat, a secondplate, K, is arranged a short distance above the plate J. This plate hasapertures k k, near its outer edge, to assist in carrying off theproducts of combustion, but is solid above the apertures in the lowerplate, in order to prevent a direct upward draft.

In order to protect the reservoirF from being chilled by contact withthe air in the room, it is surrounded by an outer jacket, L, and aninner jacket, M, both of which inclose airspaccs I. M', and which areremovably suspended from the plate H. rIhe outer jacket, L, is providedwith apertures l l at its bottom, which establish colnmunicationbet/Ween the outer air and the space L', and apertures l Z in the plateI'I establish communication between the space L and the burner-spaceabove the plate I-I. This furnishes an additional means for supplyingair to the burners. Other apertures, m m, in the bottom plate, H,establish communication between the burner-space and the jacket-.edspace M. These permit a free circulation of heated air around thehydrocarbon-reservoir and keep the reservoir warm, and assist somewhatin vaporizing the hydrocarbon. Both jackets L and M are removable topermit access to the feeding apertures ofthe reservoir.

As above mentioned, the space between the reservoir and thedistributing-chamber is inclosed by a cylindrical casing, N, which notonly serves to support the reservoir, but also protects the gas-pipesA:l and A from contact with the air and thus prevents any cooling of thesame.

The suspension of the apparatus from the gas-supply pipe by theball-and-socket joint B is especially advantageous in railway-trains,ships, &c., since thus the apparatus is at all times enabled to retain aproper vertical position.

The modification, Fig. 2, shows the arrangement of the apparatus when itis not suspended, but mounted on a gas-bracket. In this case the`gas-supply pipe A enters the bottom of the hydrocarbonreservoir at thecenter thereof, and extends upward through the entire apparatus to thetop of the heating-cham, ber. Otherwise the arrangement is or may be thesame. In this figure the jackets L M, surrounding the reservoir, areomitted.

I am aware that it is not new to place the hydrocarbon-reservoir belowthe gas-burners, and to vaporize the hydrocarbons therein by heating thegas directly from the burners before it enters thehydrocarbon-reservoir. I am also aware that it is not new to control therelative amounts of gas and vapor used by varying the amount of gasadmitted tothe hydrocarbon-reservoir. I therefore make no claim to suchfeatures; but

Vhat I do claim is"- 1. rlhe gas-inlet chamber C, a distributingchamber,D, immediately beneath chamber C, and communicating at all timesdirectly therewith by ports a a, and gas-burners communieating withchamber D and surrounding chamber C and in close proximitythereto,whereby the gas within chamber C is heated, in combination withahydrocarbon-reservoir,F, located below said chamber l), a pipe leadingfrom chamber C through chamber D into reservoir F, which conducts hotgas into reservoir F,

thus vaporizing the hydrocarbon therein, and

a pipe, A5, leading from reservoir F to chamber D,which conducts themingled gas and vapor into the said distributing-chamber D,substantially as set forth.

2. Thegas-inlet heatingchamber,adistributing chamber beneath said inletheating-chamber and communicating therewith, and gas'- burnerscommunicating with said distributing chamber and surrounding saidheating-chamber, in combination with a hydrocarbon-reservoir beneathsaid distributing chamber and communicating therewith, an outletheatingchamber' within Said inlet heati 11g-chamber and connectingtherewith,and an outlet-pipe open ing in the upper part of saidoutlet-chamber and leading to said hydrocarbon-reservoir, substantiallyas set forth.

3. A gas-heating chamber, a gas-distributing chamber communicatingdirectly therewith, and a hydrocarbon-reservoir communieating with saiddistributing-chamber, in combination with a pipe leading from saidheating-chamber to said reservoir,and which conducts hot air into saidreservoir, thus Vaporizing the hydrocarbon therein, and aregulatingvalve located in said pi e, substantially as setfortli,whereby the supp y of hot gas to the hydrocarbon-reservoir may beshut off and further vaporization of the hydrocarbon suspended.

4. A gas-heating chamber, C, a gas-distributing chamber, D, immediatelybeneath chamber C, gas-burners communicating with chamber D andsurrounding chamber C, and a hydrocarbon-reservoir, F,communicating byseparate pipes with said chambers C and D, respectively, whereby thehydrocarbons in said reservoir F are vaporized by the hot gas fromchamber C, in combination with a reflectingplate, J, located immediatelyabove said chamber C and said gas-burners, substantially as set forth,whereby the heat from said burners is directed upon said chamber O.

5 A gas-heating chamber and gas-burners surrounding the same, incombination with.a reflecting-plate located above said chamber andburners,- said plate being provided with apertures for carrying ofi` theproducts of combustion, and a second plate located above the first andabove the apertures therein, substantially as set forth.

6. A gas-heating chamber, a gas-distributing-chamber, gas-burnerscommunicating with said distributing-chamber, and ahydrocarbonreservoirbeneath said distributing-chamber and communicatingtherewith, incombination ric with a perforated plate beneath said burners andabovesaid reservoir, anda jacket suspended from said plate andsurrounding said reservoir, said jacket vinclosing a space whichcommunicates through the perforations in said plate with theburner-space, substantially as set forth. Y

7. A gas-heating chamber,a gasdistributing chamber, gas-burnerscommunicating with said distributingchamber,and ahydrocarbonreservoirbeneath said chamber and communicating therewith, in combinationwithaperforated plate beneath said burners and chambers and above saidreservoir, and two jackets suspended from said plate and surroundingsaid reservoir, said jackets inclosing` two airspaces, the outer ofwhich spaces communioates beneath with the exterior air and above withthe burner-space, and the inner of which spaces communicates with theburner-space, substantially as set forth.

8. An outer gas-inlet heating-chamber, a distributing-chamber beneathsaid chamber and communicating therewith, a gas-outlet heatingchamberwithin said outer heating-chamber 25 and communicating therewith, and ahydrocarbon-reservoir located beneath said distributing-chamber andcommunicating with said outlet heating-chamber and with saiddistributing-chamber, in combination with a gas-in- 3o let pipe whichenters the bottom of said reservoi r, extends upward through saidreservoir, distributing chamber, and outlet heating chamber, and opensinto the upper part of said outer heating-chamber, substantially as 3 5set forth.- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presencel oftwo witnesses.

VARNER F. H. OKEEFE. Witnesses:

F. M. TIERNAN, C. H. LOVE.

